Chapter with Audio
3 This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2 that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, 3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6 and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. 7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Final Words
14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. 15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. 17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
Chapter Analysis
2 Peter 3: The Day Of The Lord And The Promise Of His Coming
Remember The Words Spoken Before
📖 2 Peter 3:1–2
¹ Peter says this is now the second letter he has written to them, and in both letters he is stirring up their pure minds by way of reminder. ² He wants them to remember the words spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandment of the Lord and Savior given through the apostles.
🔹 The Truth
Believers need reminders of truth.
God uses His word to stir up clear and sincere thinking.
The holy prophets spoke God’s word beforehand.
The apostles delivered the commandment of the Lord and Savior.
The teaching of Scripture must be remembered and held firmly.
🔹 The Promise
God has given His people truth through the prophets and apostles so they may remember and stand firm.
✅ Conclusion
Peter begins the chapter by reminding believers to hold fast to Scripture. In the Last Days, God’s people must remember what He has already spoken.
Scoffers Will Come In The Last Days
📖 2 Peter 3:3–7
³ They must know this first: in the Last Days, scoffers will come, walking according to their own sinful desires. ⁴ They will say, “Where is the promise of His coming? Since the fathers died, everything continues as it has from the beginning of creation.” ⁵ But they willingly forget that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water. ⁶ By these waters, the world that then existed was destroyed by the flood. ⁷ But the heavens and earth that now exist are being kept by the same word, reserved for fire until the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
🔹 The Truth
Scoffers will come in the Last Days.
They walk according to sinful desires.
They mock the promise of Christ’s coming.
They argue as though God has not acted in history.
They willingly forget creation and the flood.
God created by His word.
God judged the ancient world by the flood.
The present heavens and earth are kept by God’s word and reserved for future judgment by fire.
🔹 The Promise
God’s word created the world, judged the world before, and will bring His promised judgment in His appointed time.
✅ Conclusion
Peter warns that scoffers will deny Christ’s coming and ignore God’s past judgment. But creation, the flood, and future judgment all stand under the authority of God’s word.
The Lord Is Not Slack Concerning His Promise
📖 2 Peter 3:8–10
⁸ Beloved, they must not forget this one thing: with the Lord, one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. ⁹ The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness, but He is patient toward them, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. ¹⁰ But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. The heavens will pass away with a great noise, the elements will melt with intense heat, and the earth and the works in it will be burned up.
🔹 The Truth
God does not measure time as man does.
The Lord is not slow or careless concerning His promise.
God’s patience gives time for repentance.
The Lord does not delight in people perishing.
The Day of the Lord will come suddenly.
God’s future judgment will be complete and unavoidable.
This present world will not last forever.
🔹 The Promise
The Lord is patient, giving opportunity for repentance before the Day of the Lord comes.
✅ Conclusion
God’s delay is not weakness or forgetfulness. His patience gives time for repentance, but His promised day will surely come.
Live In Holiness And Look For His Coming
📖 2 Peter 3:11–13
¹¹ Since all these things will be dissolved, believers should consider what kind of people they ought to be in holy conduct and godliness. ¹² They are to look for and hasten the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved by fire, and the elements will melt with intense heat. ¹³ But according to God’s promise, believers look for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.
🔹 The Truth
The coming judgment should affect how believers live now.
God’s people are called to holy conduct and godliness.
Believers should look for the coming day of God.
This present creation will be dissolved.
God has promised new heavens and a new earth.
Righteousness will dwell in God’s promised new creation.
🔹 The Promise
God has promised new heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells.
✅ Conclusion
The truth of coming judgment should not lead believers to fear or carelessness. It should lead them to holiness, godliness, and hope in God’s promised new creation.
Be Diligent And Beware
📖 2 Peter 3:14–18
¹⁴ Therefore, beloved, since believers look for these things, they must be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless. ¹⁵ They are to consider the patience of the Lord as salvation, just as beloved brother Paul also wrote to them according to the wisdom given to him. ¹⁶ Paul wrote about these things in all his letters, though some things in them are hard to understand. Untaught and unstable people twist them, as they also twist the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. ¹⁷ Therefore, beloved, since they know these things beforehand, they must beware so they are not carried away by the error of the wicked and fall from their own steadfastness. ¹⁸ Instead, they are to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen.
🔹 The Truth
Believers should live diligently as they wait for the Lord.
God’s people should seek to be found in peace, without spot and blameless.
The patience of the Lord is connected to salvation.
Paul wrote with wisdom given by God.
Some Scriptures are hard to understand.
Untaught and unstable people twist Scripture to their own destruction.
Believers must beware of being carried away by error.
God’s people must grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Glory belongs to Jesus Christ now and forever.
🔹 The Promise
Believers can grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
✅ Conclusion
Peter ends by calling believers to diligence, discernment, and growth. The answer to error is not fear, but steadfastness in truth and growth in Christ.
Overall Conclusion
2 Peter 3 closes the letter by pointing believers to the certainty of the Lord’s coming and the need to live faithfully while they wait.
Peter reminds believers to remember the words of the prophets and apostles. God’s people must not be moved by scoffers who mock the promise of Christ’s coming.
Scoffers willingly forget that God has already acted in history. He created by His word, judged the ancient world by the flood, and now keeps the present heavens and earth for future judgment.
The Lord is not slow concerning His promise. His patience gives time for repentance, but the Day of the Lord will come suddenly and surely.
Because this present world will pass away, believers are called to holy conduct, godliness, peace, purity, and steadfastness. They look for new heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells.
Peter’s final command is clear: beware of error and grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Final Questions For You
- Why do scoffers deny the promise of the Lord’s coming?
- How should the certainty of the Day of the Lord affect the way believers live now?
- What does it mean to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?